Kept In The Dark

She was a stranger in her home. Holland, at only sixteen, had managed to deal with every issue imagined. Abuse, drugs, depression, and emptiness. 

Parents can only keep a hold of a child so much, what about the parents who are too into their children?

A Stranger In Her Own Home: The End by Aya Marie begins with a description of Holland's emotional state, as well as a few facts about her home life. As soon as her father's addiction is mentioned, I cringed. I had my suspicions, especially with the careful way the author lays out the story...unraveling the family secrets, without revealing any graphic details...just waves of thoughts and emotions lapping over one another inside Holland's mind. The ending is heartbreaking.

This short story could very easily trigger anyone who grew up with abuse and/or neglect. However, Aya Marie does a stunning job bringing attention to a serious issue, without further exploiting the main character, and I am curious what other stories she might have to offer.

As always,
AstraDaemon